The City of Sumter has invested millions of dollars in revitalizing the community over the last 15 years, and in 2024, multiple improvement projects broke ground in Bates. Along the neighborhood’s east border, Manning Avenue now features a free art studio and art-themed park. South Sumter Park revealed several new additions in 2024, including a splash park and pickleball courts. In 2025, new bike lanes and freshly paved sidewalks will also be added along Manning Avenue, making it easier for folks to get downtown. Talmadge Tobias, the former Sumter City Planner and Realtor with Re/Max Summit, says, “There’s a lot of good things happening out that way, and I think it’ll continue well into the future.”
S Sumter park is adding new playground equipment for the Savage-Glover neighborhood.
Bates residents can get around the neighborhood on foot or by bike.
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Bungalow and ranch-style homes on city blocks
Homes in Bates were built between the 1940s and ‘60s. Scattered around city blocks, they feature bungalow and ranch-style architecture with brick facades. Most houses have paved driveways and yards bordered by chain-link fences. Though the neighborhood has over 200 homes, listings are limited. Only seven properties, including two empty lots, sold from 2023 to 2024. Of these sales, two renovated homes sold within the $100,000 to $150,000 range, while the older fixer-uppers ranged between $15,000 and $80,000. Empty lots sold for $3,500.
Some neweer and renovated craftsman and bungalow style homes can also be found in Bates.
Newer homes in Bates can be found as well as older ones.
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Manning Avenue links to downtown shops and restaurants
Manning Avenue links the neighborhood to Downtown Sumter in about 1 mile. There are local restaurants, shops and breweries along Main Street, plus a few small businesses on Liberty Street. Tuten’s Chicken Coop is a hole-in-the-wall hot spot immediately north of Bates. It serves hand-breaded fried chicken and other homemade Southern foods. Family Dollar sits next door, and Piggly Wiggly is less than a mile south of the neighborhood. More shops and restaurants are just 2 miles north along Broad Street and Bultman Drive.
Tuten's Chicken Coop and the other stores in the center are an easy walk from Bates.
Piggly Wiggly is th eclosest place to food shop to Bates about 5-10 minutes away.
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New additions at South Sumter Park
South Sumter Park sits between two residential streets on the far north edge of Bates. In 2024, “It was completely redone,” Tobias says. Along with a new splash pad, “they added a playground and pickleball courts,” and he says, “they’re not even finished yet.” Phase two of the renovation will include an open-air basketball gym and connecting sidewalks. A brand-new park along Manning Avenue is currently under construction. Set to open by the end of 2024, South Sumter Art Park will feature colorful basketball courts, an art-themed playground and sculptures created by local artists.
South Sumter Park is under construction and will be completed in 2025
There is a new art themed park being built in the Bates area.
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Two major highways border Bates
Bates sits between two of the busiest routes in Sumter. Along its west side, U.S. Highway 521, or Guignard Drive, is a direct link to the back gate of Shaw Air Force Base. U.S. Highway 15 surrounds the community’s east side. Both routes connect to U.S. Highway 378, a main throughway to South Carolina’s capital. The Columbia Metropolitan Airport offers direct flights to major U.S. cities like Washington D.C. and New York. Sumter’s only full-service medical center, Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, is about a mile north in the downtown district.
Crime
Bates has a CAP Index Crime Score of 6 out of 10, higher than the national average of 4. Despite low property crime scores, higher-than-average violent crime scores inflate the neighborhood’s overall Crime Score.
Bates Middle feeds into Sumter High School
Bates is zoned for the Sumter County School District, which earns an overall C-plus on Niche. Millwood Elementary scores a solid B, Bates Middle gets a C-minus and Sumter High receives a C-plus. The high school offers a dual enrollment program with the University of South Carolina-Sumter. It’s also home to the Sumter Career and Technology Center, which provides mechanical, technical and medical training.
Bates Middle School is a large campus with outdoor sports fields.
The students at Millwood Elementary School receive support from both parents and teachers.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
Denise Weeks,
an experienced agent in this area.
Parks in this Area
Swan Lake Iris Gardens
Picnic Area
Trails
Hiking
South Sumter Park
Pickleball
Playground
King of Kings Park
South Sumter Art Park
Basketball
Playground
Veterans Park
Battle of Dingle's Mill Historical Site
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Bates
US
Homicide
9
4
Sexual Assault
8
4
Assault with Weapon
9
4
Robbery
6
4
Burglary
5
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
4
4
Crime Score
6
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Bates Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Bates, Sumter sell after 143 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Bates, Sumter over the last 12 months is $31,000, down 70% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
Denise Weeks,
an experienced agent in this area.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,104
Median Age
41
Population under 18
24.4%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
21.7%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$14,783
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$34,034
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
81.3%
College Graduates
14.2%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
7.2%
% Population in Labor Force
53.4%
Below the national average
65.1%
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
54/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
22/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
